Speaking of inappropriate paraphernalia...

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Salience

MY LS is going to order a navy pullover to put letters on, and I kept asking her "why?!" Then she replied, sassily, I might add, "why do you have a khaki-colored jacket?" So I just shut my mouth. It seems like most Greeks are branching out color-wise.

KHAKI is a neutral color #1. #2 No organization has the colors "khaki and __________". While no org has the specific color of navy blue, there are 3 orgs who have blue as one of their colors.

#2 to see the Alphas wearing RED and White is like seeing a Delta jersey in Pink and Green. Before someone says "Deltas look good in any color" that is all fine and good but I don't want a closet full of nalia that is pink and green but has DST on it.

In other words, gray, khaki, black, white are neutral colors even though white is a color or acceptable color for 4 orgs in the NPHC.

[12dn94dst]

*sigh* khaki & black are debatable because they are NEUTRAL colors but it is DEFINETLY OUT OF PROTOCOL to have letters on NAVY BLUE. You may want to check your LS on that again.

**thinking: don't they give out P & T manuals anymore?**

[Salience]

Thank you for your advice. I did check P & T. I did not consider navy an official color, but I see where difficulties would arise. I will most definitely speak with my LS.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Salience
Thank you for your advice. I did check P & T. I did not consider navy an official color, but I see where difficulties would arise. I will most definitely speak with my LS.

Well as your Internet Prophyte, I must say that I am glad this topic resurfaced and that you bought this "issue" to us so that we could make sure your line sister has the appropriate paraphernalia that best befits a woman of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

i am NOT JUST your "internet prophyte." i am among THOUSANDS of your now REAL LIFE SORORS who have been in the game longer than you have. A game, mind you, that YOU WANTED to play. Constructive criticism is a part of that game. We are CONSTRUCTIVELY telling you and your LS what is and is not in protocol.

Better that we check you here rather than have a soror check you in your face, don't u think?

[Virtual Violet]

Originally posted by Salience
Thank you for your advice. I did check P & T. I did not consider navy an official color, but I see where difficulties would arise. I will most definitely speak with my LS.

Blue is not acceptable at all, the P & T says crimson and creme are are colors and red and white are suitable substitutes.


I have seen black used as an anchoring color, although I don't think black is addressed in the P&T.

On a related note, I remember confronting a bootleg vendor during a conference or convention that was trying to sell us a pin using a facsimile of our crest. By this I mean that only PARTS of the crest were shown (i.e. no leaves, etc) and the colors were RED, WHITE, YELLOW, AND BLACK!!! I tried to explain to him why we WERE NOT GOING TO BUY THAT B.S. and that my sorors would likely be INSULTED with the item but he just didn't get it.

I think he GOT IT at the end of the night when he didn't sell NOT A ONE!!!

I think part of the problem is that some of these vendors are bootleg and just want to make a buck, they aren't responsible and not interested in our protocol.

So I let my MONEY speak for me and I don't buy it.

By the way, why don't you sorors in Ohio just SKIP him all together. Here are some websites I have ordered from and I was pleased with the merchandise.


http://www.greekitems.com/

http://www.adgreek.com/

http://www.14kplus.com/

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Virtual Violet


By the way, why don't you sorors in Ohio just SKIP him all together. Here are some websites I have ordered from and I was pleased with the merchandise.


http://www.greekitems.com/

http://www.adgreek.com/

http://www.14kplus.com/

Soror I either buy online or @ our conventions. I have never purchased anything from Spirit Concepts. I try to support Black owned if I can.

[Virtual Violet]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4


Soror I either buy online or @ our conventions. I have never purchased anything from Spirit Concepts. I try to support Black owned if I can.

Same here, most of the paraphenalia shops here in Chicago are Black-owned. However, I've just about maxed out on paraphenalia!

I just look for unusual pieces of wood or glass now.

[brownsugakdphi]

Hey Ladies...
I was interested when I saw the link that referred to Alpha Phi Alpha having shirts in red and white... however maybe I was looking to carefully, but didn't the model wearing the shirt have nailpolish on.... I think that more than the colors, the fact that a woman, wearing the letters is even more disrespectful. Perhaps I could be totally wrong and it is a man wearing nailpolish, but honestly I don' think that is the case. Anyways, my sorority does a Big Sis Lis Sis/Big Bro Lil Bro with a nationally affiliated fraternity similar in principle to us. Many times our ladies will be given gifts such as sweatshirts with our letters on it in their colors.... is this offensive? I figure it is a gift, but I would like to know what more experienced sororities would suggest (Delta Sigma Theta sorority has quite a few years on my sorority alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, Inc.... thanks for the help)

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by Virtual Violet
On a related note, I remember confronting a bootleg vendor during a conference or convention that was trying to sell us a pin using a facsimile of our crest. By this I mean that only PARTS of the crest were shown (i.e. no leaves, etc) and the colors were RED, WHITE, YELLOW, AND BLACK!!! I tried to explain to him why we WERE NOT GOING TO BUY THAT B.S. and that my sorors would likely be INSULTED with the item but he just didn't get it.

I think he GOT IT at the end of the night when he didn't sell NOT A ONE!!!

I think part of the problem is that some of these vendors are bootleg and just want to make a buck, they aren't responsible and not interested in our protocol.

So I let my MONEY speak for me and I don't buy it.

By the way, why don't you sorors in Ohio just SKIP him all together. Here are some websites I have ordered from and I was pleased with the merchandise.


http://www.greekitems.com/

http://www.adgreek.com/

http://www.14kplus.com/

This brings up a good point. Not only do the bootleg vendors at conventions and conferences take money away from our certified vendors that have paid a fee to Delta to sell para, but because they have not passed certification, they are not regulated as to what is appropriate per our P&T to sell. That is why you see so much inappropriate para being worn. We really need to stop patronizing them.

And as stated earlier, although we do not specifically address background colors, I suggest sticking with the neutral ones such as khaki and black to be safe. Just my humble opinion.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by brownsugakdphi
Hey Ladies...
I was interested when I saw the link that referred to Alpha Phi Alpha having shirts in red and white... however maybe I was looking to carefully, but didn't the model wearing the shirt have nailpolish on.... I think that more than the colors, the fact that a woman, wearing the letters is even more disrespectful. Perhaps I could be totally wrong and it is a man wearing nailpolish, but honestly I don' think that is the case. Anyways, my sorority does a Big Sis Lis Sis/Big Bro Lil Bro with a nationally affiliated fraternity similar in principle to us. Many times our ladies will be given gifts such as sweatshirts with our letters on it in their colors.... is this offensive? I figure it is a gift, but I would like to know what more experienced sororities would suggest (Delta Sigma Theta sorority has quite a few years on my sorority alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, Inc.... thanks for the help)

No that is a GIRL wearing a FRATERNITY's letters.

Now as to the exchange you all have with this national fraternity, if both parties are amenable to this exchange, then I am sure it is fine in terms of your sorority and the fraternity. However, in NPHC practices are a little different.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Virtual Violet



Same here, most of the paraphenalia shops here in Chicago are Black-owned. However, I've just about maxed out on paraphenalia!

I just look for unusual pieces of wood or glass now.

I want art and figurines as well. I might buy a shirt or 2 depending on the uniqueness and the $ in my pocket.

[CrucialCrimson]

Originally posted by 12dn94dst
*sigh* khaki & black are debatable because they are NEUTRAL colors but it is DEFINETLY OUT OF PROTOCOL to have letters on NAVY BLUE. You may want to check your LS on that again.

**thinking: don't they give out P & T manuals anymore?**

Navy blue as a background might not be the best choice of a garment, but I don't see how one can call it "definitely" out of protocol - if that's the case, then what should one make of all the burgundy and blue denim garments with symbols on them. I believe Black and gold are both considered appropriate anchoring colors, but I'm not sure if I read that in the P/T manual or in the commentary that was distributed at the convention in Chicago.

[The Original Ape]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4


Check out this site where A Phi A now wears the colors RED & WHITE!!

http://www.something-greek.com/shop/...p?id=9&cat=Jer

Did you notice the color of the people wearing the nalia? They're all white, which would imply they are the owners or employees of the business that is selling the stuff. They are ignorant to our organizations; and having made Alpha nalia in red and white only exemplifies this.

People need to pay attention.

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by CrucialCrimson


Navy blue as a background might not be the best choice of a garment, but I don't see how one can call it "definitely" out of protocol - if that's the case, then what should one make of all the burgundy and blue denim garments with symbols on them. I believe Black and gold are both considered appropriate anchoring colors, but I'm not sure if I read that in the P/T manual or in the commentary that was distributed at the convention in Chicago.

Good point about the blue denim. It is the Commentary that addresses Gold as an anchoring color and it stipulates who should wear it

[ladyjag99]

Originally posted by The Original Ape



Did you notice the color of the people wearing the nalia? They're all white, which would imply they are the owners or employees of the business that is selling the stuff. They are ignorant to our organizations; and having made Alpha nalia in red and white only exemplifies this.

People need to pay attention.

I agree. It's just not Alpha Phi Alpha. I know some Delta Tau Deltas who would be outraged at seeing their letters in green and white (their colors are purple and gold). Perhaps you should send them a nice email at least telling them about the colors. It's sad that a store that caters to Greeks just couldn't take the time to research an organization's colors. There are plenty of Alpha web pages bedecked in black and gold so research would have been a snap. They have a section entitled "Divine 9" which suggests they know that the Black Greek is an important customer. You can also tell them that you don't like having a woman model fraternity letters. Truth be told, it's not unusual for online Greek shops to have the same folks model different clothes of different organizations. But send them an email of complaint, though.